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From ALLRHYTHMS.COM

ALLRHYTHMS.COM is a musical resource that teaches the universal language of rhythm while I integrate the knowledge in schools, private and virtual lessons.

Rhythm is ingrained in our bodies as well as Nature that surrounds us. For example:

The Earth orbits our sun in 365 days.

There are 24 hours in a day . . . 60 minutes in an hour . . . 60 seconds in a minute . . .

The typical healthy resting heart rate in adults is 60–80 beat per minute. -1

Catalogues

Rudiments of Musical Expression Read Me

FUNDAMENTAL RHYTHMIC EXPRESSION

Silence		Silence is the fundamental state that is the basis of all sound. It becomes before the music, exists between the notes that make up the music, and continues after the music has stopped. It contains all possible rhythmic expressions simultaneously in the wholeness of itself. The human cognizes ryhthmic relationships and embellishes them.
1		From silence emerges one single attack. Sustain and decay qualify the note played, yet one attack occurred. The relationship between the entirety of the piece to a single note {and all polyrhythms} describes the field of rhythm.
2		Duple:One note followed by another.
3		Triple: Three note group is also the basic pattern underlying a triplet in a medium swing feel. All linear groupings higher than 3 are made up of 2s and 3s (1s can be felt over every subdivision).
∞ possibilities		1s + 2s + 3s played linearly create infinite possibilities
ARRYTHMIC	∞	NOTES PLAYED ARRYTHMICALLY are "Without Rhythm" - Wikipedia

TIME

Time passes through space in a curved manner just as the curvature of the earth or the orbits of the heavens.

Unquantifiable

In music, while there is a beginning and an ending, the stuff in the middle is subjective to the human creating it and can be played without regards to time or tempo; this is called being totally unquantifiable.

Quantifiable

Playing in relation to a pulse with regular rhythms can be quantified, or notated and recorded. In music the staff is displayed with bars dividing the wholeness of the piece.

While rhythms can be written down and replicated (quantified), there are many instances where only learning by ear can lead to mastering the intricacies of human interpretation and feel. Norway's Springar Dance Step, when quantified yield obscure fractions of the pulse.

Time Signatures

Time Signatures exist "to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat." -Wikipedia

Time signatures represent fractions of wholeness (division of beats within measures). 1 measure = 1/1 (1 whole note per measure)= 2/2 (2 half notes)= 4/4 (4 quarters)= or common time. See SUBDIVISION CHART below

In this example below, the piece is divided into measures with a duration of 1 whole note each:

2 halves,

4 quarters,

. . .and so on. . .

Duples & Triples

Musical meters (or metres) can be divided by Duples or Triples as the lowest common denominator of subdivision.

From Wikipedia: Duple meter (also known as duple time) is a musical metre characterized by a primary division of 2 beats to the bar, usually indicated by 2 and multiples (simple) or 6 and multiples (compound) in the upper figure of the time signature, with 2/2 (cut time), 2/4, and 6/8 (at a fast tempo) being the most common examples. The upper figure being divisible by two does not of itself indicate duple metre; for example, a time signature of 6/8 usually indicates compound duple metre though it may locally emphasize simple triple, such as the famous example of Leonard Bernstein's song, "America" from West Side Story.

Triple metre (also known as triple time) is a musical metre characterized by a primary division of 3 beats to the bar, usually indicated by 3 (simple) or 9 (compound) in the upper figure of the time signature, with 3/4, 3/2, and 3/8 being the most common examples. The upper figure being divisible by three does not of itself indicate triple metre; for example, a time signature of 6/8 usually indicates compound duple metre, and the 12/8 sections of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis are compound double with a primary division of four to the bar. -[2]

Simple time signatures
(quadruple)	common time: widely used in most forms of Western popular music. Most common time signature in rock, blues, country, funk, and pop. -Scott Schroedl[3]	Simple quadruple drum pattern: divides four beats into two
(duple)	alla breve, cut time: used for marches and fast orchestral music. Frequently occurs in musical theater. Sometimes called "in 2", but may be notated in 4.	Simple quadruple drum pattern: divides four beats into two
(quadruple)	never found in early music (which did not use numeric time signatures), and rare since 1600, although Brahms and other composers used it occasionally.
(duple)	used for polkas or marches	Simple duple drum pattern: divides two beats into two.
(triple)	used for waltzes, minuets, scherzi, country & western ballads, sometimes used in pop.	Simple triple drum pattern: divides three beats into two
(triple)	also used for the above, but usually suggests higher tempo or shorter hypermeter.
Compound time signatures
(duple)	double jigs, polkas, fast obscure waltzes, tarantella, marches, barcarolles, loures, and some rock music.	Compound duple drum pattern: divides two beats into three
(triple)	"compound triple time", used in triple ("slip") jigs, otherwise occurring rarely (The Ride of the Valkyries and Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony, are familiar examples. Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune's opening bars are in )	Compound triple drum pattern: divides three beats into three
(quadruple)	also common in slower blues (where it is known as shuffle) and doo-wop; also used more recently in rock music. Can also be heard in some jigs like "The Irish Washerwoman". from Wikipedia: Source needed to verify that the Irish Washerwoman is not actually in 6/8 time, as often written.	Compound quadruple drum pattern: divides four beats into three

QUANTIFICATION

Subdivision/Note Lengths and Rests

Displays Largest to Smallest Subdivision in decreasing duration over 16 beats.

Names	Note	Rest	Time Signature	16 Beat phrase	Extra example
4 tied whole notes, Longa			4/4, Common Time
2 Tied Whole Notes, Breve			2/1 or 8/4		Example same as below in order to illustrate the time signature 2/1.
2 Tied Whole Notes, Breve			4/4,		Example same as above in order to illustrate Common Time signature.
double dotted whole note			7/4
dotted whole note			6/4
Combinations of 5 beat measures			5/4
Whole Note, Semibreve			4/4,
Triple & Double Dotted Half
Dotted Half
Whole Note Triplets, 3 over 8 beats
Half Note, Minim
Triple & Double Dotted Quarter			4/4
Dotted Quarter			4/4
Half Note Triplet, 3 per 4 beat			4/4
Five-tuplet Quarter Notes			4/4
quarter notes			4/4
double & singe dotted 8ths			4/4
Linear dotted 8ths			4/4
quarter note triplets			4/4
quarter note septuplets			4/4
8th notes			4/4
Double & Single Dotted 16th notes			4/4
8th Note Triplets			4/4
16th Notes			4/4
5-tuplet 16th notes			4/4
6-tuplet 16th notes			4/4
7-tuplet 16th notes			4/4
32nd notes, demisemiquaver			4/4
9-tuplet 16th notes			4/4
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15-tuplets per beat			4/4
64th notes, hemidemisemiquaver			4/4
128th notes, semihemidemisemiquaver or quasihemidemisemiquaver			4/4

1s, 2s, 3s

1 is the basis of rhythmic expression because it represents the wholeness as well as the part.

2s and 3s are the lowest common denominator of polyrhythms over 3. This is most important to remember when approaching polyrhythm and odd groupings of time.

Study Joe Porcaro's Odd Times on Hal Leonard.

Vertical Rhythm: Polyrhythm

Here are polyrhythms 1 through 9 that exist over a quarter-note pulse:

Linear Rhythm: Feeling in terms of 1s 2s and 3s

Groupings of 1s can be felt linearly over any subdivision. This example shows how "1" can be felt simultaneously as the pulse and the grouping:

Groupings of 2s can also be felt over any subdivision.

Groupings of 3s can be felt over any subdivision, some with a left-over remainder a grouping of 1 or 2(s).

Metric Modulation

"In music a metric modulation is a change (modulation) from one time signature/tempo (meter) to another, wherein a note value from the first is made equivalent to a note value in the second, like a pivot." -Wikipedia.

The 2 to 3 relationship or hocket over a quarter note pulse is the initial crossrhythm that is found in all styles.

Phasing

A Unison ostinato that slowly phases to offset (back and forth), back to unison describes essence of a phase. Offset example in Reich's Music for 18 with further embellishments in Drumming.

FEEL SHIFT/TRANSITIONS (SWING)

Phasing from swung triplets to duple 16ths to doubled 32nds, then 64ths, & 128ths contains many interpretations of rhythmic feels.

Sticking, Inversion, Permutations & Accent Patterns

GEORGE LAWRENCE STONE's STICK CONTROL for the SNARE DRUMMER

"Carefully chosen from the 2^16 = 65,536 permutations possible using only right and/or left hand single strokes, these figures define a comprehensive approach to freedom and flexibility with sticking. The 192 “Flam Beats” paved the way for the wrist and finger stroke control styles of Wilcoxon and Morello, and continue to be among the most effective and challenging practice patterns I know." - Bob Becker

SYNCOPATION

Progressive Steps to SYNCOPATION FOR THE MODERN DRUMMER by Ted Reed

Multiple uses for PAGE 37

TECHNIQUE

There is a use for every technique here.

Hands

Moeller

1 = One note always takes the stick {or hitting article (hammer in a piano's case)} from suspension to striking the instrument creating natural bounce.

2 = Whip Stroke and Prep Stroke.

3 = Whip, Accent Stroke, Prep Stroke

Morello

Joe Morello utilizes Moeller technique. He also describes the stroke starting from a height and bouncing back to the level of dynamic desired. Lower stick height for a quieter hit, higher stick height for louder response. Singles are strong. Accent to unaccented note means letting stick bounce half as high as first accent, returning to the accent by letting the stick bounce back to the primary position. Reference his book Master Studies at amazon.com.

1s, 2s, 3s (4+buzz) make up all rudimentary expression

This is with the overstanding from John H. Beck that an orchestral snare roll is sufficiently reached with 3 bounces per stick. In contrast,other teachers/players such as Mitchell Peters use a buzz roll that implements as many bounces as possible and overlaps the buzzes to achieve continuity. Crush Roll uses 4+ bounces. Any ostinato (repeated pattern) of any duration can be thought of as being made up of units of 1.

Feet

Bass Drum, High Hat, any foot movement.

Heel Up - More Power, different than:

Heel down - Quieter dynamic range. Not used in specific instances {not preferable for certain double bass or loud situations}

Rolling Technique (coming soon: see Steve Gadd)

1)Play into the head - Leave the beater on the head after hitting

•punchier sound. Preferred in funk or rock by Ndugu Chancler - very muffled bass drum.

2)Play the beater "off" of the head - Let it bounce back to its original position.

•Allows bass head to resonate more for full sound. Preferred sound for Denny Fongheiser.

SNARE RUDIMENTS

•All percussive actions require each hand to do 1, 2, or 3 groupings of hits by itself {an ostinato of any duration can be felt as groups of 1s, 2s, or 3s.} also see TECHNIQUES.

"Drum rudiments are fundamental rhythmic patterns which will aid in developing basic techniques for drum playing. They are not a complete system, or method for teaching drums, but they do supply us with material for hand development and acquaint us with short rhythmic patterns which will be found in drum music." -Haskell W. Harr, Drum Method Book Two, BUY HERE[4]

40 P.A.S. International Drum Rudiments

VIEW, DOWNLOAD, or LISTEN HERE at PAS.org

"All rudiments should be practiced: open (slow) to close (fast) to open (slow) and/or at an even moderate march tempo." -PAS.org

Roll rudiments

Single stroke rudiments

The single-stroke roll consists of alternating sticking (i.e., RLRL, etc.) of indeterminate speed and length.

No.	Name	Description
1.	Single Stroke Roll	Evenly-spaced notes played with alternating sticking. Though usually played fast, even half notes with alternating sticking would be considered a single stroke roll.
2.	Single Stroke Four	Four notes played with alternating sticking, usually as a triplet followed by an eighth note. (as in the picture) or as three grace notes before a downbeat (like a ruff).
3.	Single Stroke Seven	Seven notes played with alternating sticking, usually as sextuplet followed by a quarter note.

Multiple bounce roll rudiments

No.	Name	Notation	Description
4.	Multiple Bounce Roll		Alternating handed strokes with no specific number of bounces. Should sound even and continuous. Also called "buzz roll" or "press roll" (most often when referred to in the context of drum-set playing).
5.	Triple Stroke Roll		Alternating handed strokes with three specific strokes. Each stroke can be bounced or wristed. Also called a "French roll."

Double stroke open roll rudiments

No.	Name	Description
6.	Double Stroke Open Roll (Long Roll)	Like the single-stroke roll, usually played fast, but even when played slowly, alternating Diddle rudiments are considered a double stroke roll. Played so each individual note can be heard distinctly.
7.	Five Stroke Roll	Two diddles followed by an accented note.
8.	Six Stroke Roll	Unlike most other double stroke rudiments, the six stroke roll begins with an accented single note. Then it is followed by two diddles and another accented note.
9.	Seven Stroke Roll	Three diddles followed by an accented note. Usually a sextuplet followed by a quarter note.
10.	Nine Stroke Roll	Four diddles followed by an accented note.
11.	Ten Stroke Roll	Four diddles followed by two accented notes.
12.	Eleven Stroke Roll	Five diddles followed by an accented note.
13.	Thirteen Stroke Roll	Six diddles followed by an accented note.
14.	Fifteen Stroke Roll	Seven diddles followed by an accented note.
15.	Seventeen Stroke Roll	Eight diddles followed by an accented note.

Diddle rudiments

No.	Name	Description
16.	Single Paradiddle	Two alternating notes followed by a diddle.
17.	Double Paradiddle	Four alternating notes followed by a diddle.
18.	Triple Paradiddle	Six alternating notes followed by a diddle.
19.	Paradiddle-Diddle	Two alternating taps followed by two alternating diddles.

Flam rudiments

No.	Name	Description
20.	Flam	Two taps (a grace note followed by a full volume tap) played very close together in order to sound like one slightly longer note. In the Hudson Music DVD "Great Hands For a Lifetime", drummer and educator Tommy Igoe describes flams as "the easiest rudiment to play wrong" and goes on to say "...think of the syllable 'lam'. It's one syllable. 'Flam' is still only one syllable, but it's slightly longer." This is a good way for a beginner to conceptualize a "correct" flam.
21.	Flam Accent	Alternating groups of three notes of the form [Flam - tap - tap].
22.	Flam Tap	Alternating diddles with flams on the first note of each diddle.
23.	Flamacue	A group of four notes and an ending downbeat, where the first note and the down beat are flammed, and the second note is accented.
24.	Flam Paradiddle</td>	A paradiddle with a flam on the first note. -[PAS.org] Also known as a flamadiddle.
25.	Single Flammed Mill	An inverted paradiddle (`RRLR`, `LLRL`) with a flam on the first note of each diddle.
26.	Flam Paradiddle-diddle	Alternating paradiddle-diddles with flams on the first note of each.
27.	Pataflafla	A four-note pattern with flams on the first and last notes
28.	Swiss Army Triplet	A right hand flam followed by a right tap and a left tap, or (using a left hand lead) a left hand flam followed by a left tap and a right tap. -[PAS.org] [http://www.vicfirth.com/education/rudiments/28swissarmytriplet.html Swiss Army Triplet Example on VicFirth.com It is often used in the place of a flam accent, since repeated flam accents will have three taps on the same hand in a row, where repeated swiss army triplets only involve two taps on the same hand.
29.	Inverted Flam Tap	Alternating diddles (offset by one sixteenth note) with a flam on the second note of each diddle. Also known as a tap flam.
30.	Flam Drag	Alternating groups of three notes of the form [flam - drag - tap].

Drag rudiments

No.	Name	Description
31.	Drag (Half Drag or Ruff)	Two diddled grace notes before a tap, which is usually accented.
32.	Single Drag Tap (Single Drag)	A single drag tap is two alternating notes where the first note has drag grace notes and the second is accented.
33.	Double Drag Tap (Double Drag)	A double drag tap is a single drag tap with another grace note drag before it.
34.	Lesson 25 (Two and Three)	A lesson 25 is three alternating notes where the first note has drag grace notes and the third is accented.
35.	Single Dragadiddle	A single dragadiddle is a paradiddle where the first note is a drag.
36.	Drag Paradiddle #1	The first drag paradiddle is an accented note followed by a paradiddle with drag grace notes on the first note.
37.	Drag Paradiddle #2	The second drag paradiddle is two accented notes followed by a paradiddle, with drag grace notes on the second accented note and the first note of the paradiddle.
38.	Single Ratamacue	A single ratamacue consists of four notes where the first note has drag grace notes and the fourth is accented. -[PAS.org]
39.	Double Ratamacue	A double ratamacue consists of a single ratamacue with a drag before it.
40.	Triple Ratamacue	A triple ratamacue consists of a single ratamacue with two drags before it.

These 40 international rudiments are posted here courtesy of Michael Kenyon of the Percussive Arts Society.

Description from Wikipedia.

26 NARD Rudiments

National Association of Rudimental Drummers (N.A.R.D) 26=13 + 13

VIEW ALL 26 HERE!

History of the National Association of Rudimental Drummers

Rudiments used with permission from Mark Beecher at N.A.R.D.

Extended Rudiments

NinjaDrummist Encylclopedia: 570 and counting + Aimachi Drum Corps - Japan

coming soon. . .

Exercises and Applications

see George L. Stone, drumset application

"One of the greatest obstacles repeatedly confronting many of today's talented drummers is their underestimation of the importance of mastering snare drum rudiments. Over the years, drummers of all styles have relied upon the snare drum rudiments as a means of inventing drum patterns for fills and solos, and developing technique. The lessons presented illustrate snare drum rudiments in their traditional notations and in their actual rhythmic notations. by applying the actual rhythmic notations we can orchestrate the stickings of the rudiments for the drum set, adding new dimensions by inventing patterns for fills and solos. With our lessons, we attempt to bridge the gap between rudiments and their application to the drum set in playing various styles of music."

— Joe Porcaro from JosephPorcaro.com on his Drum Set Method to be published by Hal Leonard.

KEY RHYTHMS

1s 2s and 3s as individual phrases or with rest after

Key uses of 2s+3s (afro: 3-2-1-2, 1/2 clave: 3-3-2, tihai: 3-3-3, Nas's ultimate heartbeat: 1-2-3-1) triple and duple juxtaposition occur in every Musical Idiom.

8th and 2 16th repeated pattern with accents create all upbeats and backbeats and clave and tihai patterns

Half Clave//Bombo&Tumbao//Baião//Tihai=332

Clave & Rhumba Clave and 6/8 (Nañigo) Clave

Tabla Syllables

1st 3 Contain groupings of 1s, 2s , and 3s implying Intricate Rhythmic Conversations!

TABLA/PAKHAVAJ KNOWLEDGE / GHARANA DATABASE

An outstanding resource from indiaheritage.org

Another outstanding resource from buckinghammusic.com

Knowledge from Pandit Sharda Sahai (BANARES) disciple Shawn Mativetsky

RESOURCES & TEACHINGS

DRUMMERWORLD: A catalog of the world's drummers with videos and sound, by Bernhard Castiglioni.

Sample Lessons from Joe Porcaro

Music Dispatch to buy sheet music! Recommended by Hal Leonard.

Drum Lesson Database by DrumBum

Lessons from Chester Thompson

THE PERCUSSIONIST'S STICK BAG (as recommended by Bill Cahn)

David Hurlin's Drum Theory and Revelation

Sheldon Kreger's Modern Instinct blog

A Blog Called MunchkinsandMusic to help teach kids music. From a Mom's Perspective.

Guitar Lessons

David Byrne's "Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists — and Megastars" at Wired Magazine as well as a superb talk entitled How Architecture Helped Music Evolve at TED.com.

Learn more about music business HarryFox.com, ASCAP.com, BMI.com and SESAC.

Contact me at ianfry(at)gmail(dot)com to help add to this educational resource.

Check out The Allrhythms Blog for current thoughts and exercises.

SOURCES

1. Resting Heart Rate, American Heart Association

2. Text and Photos of Grooves from Wikipedia.

3. Scott Schroedl. Play Drums Today! A Complete Guide to the Basics: Level One (Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, 2001), p. 42.

Consult the User's Guide for information on using the wiki software.

Getting started

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